Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh has opened up about the tough times when he was struggling with an injury. He also revealed that his father did not eat for a few days, as the Rinku, who is the sole breadwinner of the house, got injured.
Rinku Singh played a blinder against the Lucknow Super Giants on Thursday in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He smashed a 15-balls 40 runs knock to almost win the match for the Knight Riders. However, Rinku was dismissed on the penultimate delivery of the match. They lost the thrilling encounter by just two runs.
Before the Indian Premier League 2021 season, Rinku suffered an injury, which ruled him out of that season. He had to undergo an operation and needed around seven months to recover. In a conversation with the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer recalled the tough times. He expressed:
“Last year was quite tough for me as I got a knee injury during the Vijay Hazare Trophy while running a second run. The moment I fell, I thought of the IPL. They told me I needed an operation and would require seven months to recover. I wasn’t happy staying away from cricket for so long.”
“My father didn’t eat for 2-3 days. I told him it’s just an injury and it’s a part of cricket. I’m the sole breadwinner of my family and when such a thing happens, it is bound to be worrisome. I was a bit sad but I knew I would recover quickly as I had a lot of self-belief,” he added.
Rinku Singh further added that the Kolkata Knight Riders helped him to make a com-back post-injury. He said, “Kamlesh Sir (Jain, head physiotherapist of the team) told me KKR is ready to help me. They have always supported me.”
Kolkata Knight Riders molded my life: Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh has been a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket. Playing for Uttar Pradesh he averages 64.08 in thirty matches, scoring 2307 runs, including an unbeaten 163 as his highest score. His run tally includes five centuries and sixteen half-centuries.
Life changed for the left-handed batter when the Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for 80 Lakhs in the Indian Premier League 2018 auctions. Recalling the auctions, Rinku said,
“(Nitish) Rana Ji told me KKR would bid for me. That assured me I would play for them again. There’s a lot of love. KKR has molded my life. Almost all of my problems went away after KKR picked me for INR 80 lakhs. Nobody had seen so much money in my family before. It’s a huge amount. My father’s income was barely 10-12 thousand. My family is quite proud of me.”
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